Forth Valley College staff to strike

Staff at Forth Valley College are to walk out next year, in a long running dispute over pay. 

81% of UNISON trade union members voted in favour of industrial action.

Staff who are striking include librarians, technicians and catering workers.

Forth Valley College have been approached for comment.

UNISON Scotland further education branch secretary, Chris Greenshields said: “This ballot result shows our members feel very strongly about the appalling approach by college employers. College staff are facing a second Christmas in real financial hardship. Our members have been waiting 16 months for a pay rise in line with inflation, free from the ongoing threats to their jobs.

“UNISON is calling for employers to release last year’s pay rise to college staff immediately to alleviate hardship this winter and given the unforgiveable length of time this is taking.

We are also calling for the Scottish government minister to join talks with unions and the employers to bring this dispute to end.

Further education is surely the worst publicly funded sector in Scotland. We have had months of disputes and job insecurity, yet here we are again lurching towards more strikes in 2024. College staff are left with no choice but to use the ultimate sanction to get the fair pay and job security they deserve. The Scottish Government needs to do more."

UNISON Scotland further education branch chair, Collette Bradley said: "The prospect of a three-year deal was suggested by the Scottish Government, most likely as a means of securing industrial peace in a sector that has been blighted with industrial action for around a decade.

No doubt, industrial peace in colleges would help the minister as we get nearer a Scottish election but staff need a guarantee that this will not affect their job security.

As it stands, our members have the worst of both worlds and are furious at below inflation pay offers and the prospect of being made compulsorily redundant to boot.

Pay has long since been settled for every other sector. It's time the Scottish government pulled out all the stops if it is serious about the working class learners who depend on colleges and the vital role the sector plays in the Scottish economy."

Kenny MacInnes, Principal of Forth Valley College, said: “UNISON’s decision to reject the latest national three year pay offer, with plans for further industrial action in the New Year, will have a huge impact on our students, and students across Scotland.

“Any future industrial action will only add to the significant levels of disruption already experienced earlier this year across the sector.

“The offer tabled to Unison delivers a near 16% average pay rise from September next year for support staff and 21.5% for those staff earning less than £25,000. This offer has been made amid significant challenging financial circumstances for colleges, with an 8.5% real-terms Scottish Government funding cut since 2021/22 and flat cash budgets going forward.

“Forth Valley College understands how challenging this situation has been in recent months for everyone involved, and hopes that a resolution to the dispute can be found soon."